The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-17
A VERY QUIET MAN.
Lady Pardock's Opinion Of Modest
Captain Armstrong.


Mrs. Cardewe stopped at our house one
day and said:
Lucy, wish your husband could spare
you to come to the manor for few days
81 dare say he could, ma'am." l replied
'1es not far, and our little maid gets OF
with the children very handy"
swell, ask him. she said Because Mr.
Csrdewe and are expecting some friends
and you might help me. You have not for
COTTON your old business, supposef' she
asked, smiling.
/ curtsied, and said: "No, could man.
age hair-dressing and so on very well as
lady's maid-if wanted"
sit is rather to lo<i after Lady Pardock's
little boy" replied Mrs. Cardewe. "He is
an only child-the heir to the prOperjy-and
must have trustworthy person with him.
He has an attendant, of course, bat the
nurse had been obliged to go home, under
stand VIII you come for a week or sol''
said would, and Mrs. Cardewe seemed
pleased.
81 will write and tell Lady Paddock" she
said. "She will not come unless her child
Is in good hands. and / can now assure her"
j cuTtsied again. and thanked her for her
good opinion. She nodded pleasantly and
drove away, saying:
"On Tuesday, then"
When Charley came back to tea he gave
me leave to go, and laughed about my leav-
ing my own children to look after the only
child of Lady Padrock, who was the widow
of the great barrister, the gentleman who
had found the heir to the Norfolk estate.
''Whon are you going to the manor!" he
asked.
''On Tuesday. Charley-this is Friday-so
there's plenty OF time.
The company began to arrive at the manor
on the Monday. There were to be fourteen
guests, but l needn't name them all. Mr.
KemphIll and the Martyn-Henrys were in
vited at separate times-but he remained
longer than he had at first iutended-and
there was a Captain in the navy, a retired
officer named Armstrong. who wore a beard
like the Duke of Edinburgh. He was a
nice, plaln-spoken gentleman-very quiet
and never seemed to put himself out for any
one. He had been asked to meet Mr. Hemp
hill who had yacht and was somewhat
nautical.
Lady Paddock came. with a nursemaid-
a plain, rather silly-looking, afTectionate
girl-and the heir. He was seven years
old; a sturdy, bold boy; Independent, but
as obedient as / have never seen a lad SO
young. HIS mothers word was enough;
he did as he was hidden without question
ing or frctfulness. The young heir seemed
TO like the sailor captain, who was full OF
anecdotes and stories. but Lady Pardock
seemed to despise him q little. She was
fine, handsome woman; tail, well made and
well dressed. There was at times dreamy
look in her eyes, as if she We're thinking of
the past or contemplating the future. She
was very energetic, though, and could
walk, ride. row, or sail a boat as well as
many men.
She and Captain Henry were good friends.
She was interested in his mining and was
quite as ready TO go down the mine as she
was TO sail in Mr.. Hemphilrs yacht, the
Firefiy.
''You are, of course, a great traveller.
Captain Armstrong;" she said one day to
the sailor. eve heard a good deal, ",
know, through the butler and other men
servants, and / saw a good deal of Lady
PardNCk, and sometimes she talked TO mel
''No," he replied, carelessly. Il have
been about the world-nvt much in It. \
sailor sees good deal. and there is some
thing worth seeing occasionally, too"
''Have you ever been in batsle?" she
asked again.
'Never, L am thankful to say" he re-
piled.
'.You arc surely-not-not serious9n she
said.
81 am quite serious-I dread battle, OF
course, should fight if had to do so-but
trust / never shall"
Il wonder you entered the navy. Captain
Armstrong" she half sneered. lyon
should have been a Quaker"
sit was rot my own choice, Lady Par
dock" he answered.
''He would make an excellent country
parsou." she remarked to her neighbor.
Captain Martyn-Henry; and very soon
nfterward the ladies left the dining-room.
From that time Lady Pardock seemed to
think the sailor what Charley calls "a
muff." He walked and sometimes shot
with the party in the stubbles-or helped
In tableaus, but never shone much in any
way. When Charley came in used to tell
him about the Captain.
"You know nothing about it" he would
say. Captain Armstrong shoots right
straight; if he don't fire often he ALWAYS
kills in workman-like way and doesn't
mangle the birds. What do YOU know
about hims'
mot much, indeed; but he doesn't seem
to care much for any thing, and is very
quiet
$50 you think he's a muir o. YOU
women! Because man doesn't boast and
swell about like turkey-cock, you think
he's got no spirit in him"
We'll, Charley, no one could possibly
think he had any spirit. He's as mild as
milkr'
''Bahl'' was all my husband said. So
turned away and went indoors to nv charge
Sir Jocelyn. He was dear little fellow
and we got on very well together He was
obedience itself, yet full offun. There were
excursions and boating parties, and, when
Mr.. Hemphilrs yacht came in, plenty of
sailing. This delighted Lady Pardock, who
many time went with me, Jocelyn, Mr..
Hemphin and Mrs. Csrdewe and her hus-
band.
One day we started to Lulworth cove
They all had heard OF it, but few. had ever
been there. The wind was blowing briskly
from the southeast favorable quarter,
and, as Mr.. Hemphill said: "If it does veer
to the southwest, all the better; it will |
bring VS. home the faster"